Writing Rule #16

#16 The earlier in a story a flashback appears, the more obvious it becomes to the reader that your story has begun in the wrong place (and, possibly, is being told by the wrong person). It smacks of a cheap way for the author to assure me that, yes, stuff is going to happen, and it’ll be cool. “See? Look at all the cool stuff that’s ALREADY happened, right, so you know the stuff that happens next will be even COOLER.”